Sunday Mail
Communities could run own courts
01:20am 23rd October 2005

Volunteers should dish out justice in their own community, says a report launched by Home Office minister Hazel Blears this week.
New courts should deal with neighbour disputes, minor offences like petty theft, vandalism, drunk and disorderly behaviour and anti-social behaviour.

Offenders could be forced to attend drug treatment courses, carry out community services like repairing damaged property or offer reparations to the victim.

And they would be staffed by volunteers, backed by the Probation Service, the Institute for Public Policy Research proposes.

Anyone could apply to sit on the Community Justice Panels (COPs), according to the IPPR, Tony Blair's favourite think-tank.